Close on the heels of Chief Minister MK Stalin dismissing actor Vijay as a newbie in politics and it was not worth his time to respond to his charge the ruling DMK is dynastic and corrupt, his son and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi has said the intent of those to destroy will not succeed.

“Many have started coming up with the motto of destroying the DMK. But, it is not necessary for me to respond to them. The people will give them a fitting reply,” he said, speaking at a marriage reception of a party functionary in Thanjavur, 343 km south of Chennai, on Thursday.

“The AIADMK, which remains splintered into many groups, and the BJP which is of no consequence in the state and kept off by everyone are waiting eagerly for a crack in the DMK-led alliance. The CM had answered them and our allies too had made it amply clear that they are firmly with us,” he added.

Though it was also a veiled attack on Vijay, who had launched his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party to enter the poll fray in 2026 assembly election, he consciously avoided naming him. More than the DMK, it is the allies who had taken on Vijay for castigating the DMK as a family group looting the state wearing the mask of Dravidian icons, Anna and Periyar. At the TVK’s first political conference in late October, the actor had also announced that his party would share power with the allies. Also, he spared the principal opposition AIADMK of any criticism.

Interestingly, Vijay had played the lead along with Trisha Krishnan in the action comedy, ‘Kuruvi’, the first film produced by Udhayanidhi under the banner of his Red Giant Movies. He had also wished Vijay when he launched the TVK, saying any one can enter politics in a democracy.

Udhayanidhi also urged the party rank and file to work hard to ensure that the DMK secures 200 seats, the target fixed by Stalin in the 2026 assembly poll. “Resolutions passed by the Thanjavur District Unit of the DMK become a reality. It was the first to propose to appoint me as the Youth Wing Secretary of the party and then as the Deputy CM and both had become a reality one after other. Now, you have passed a resolution that the DMK would retain power in 2026 winning more seats. But, work hard towards that,” he said.